Wrench



Jam. 19, 1937 TQR ERT, JR

WRENCH Filed July 16, 1935 Patented Jan. 19, 1931 UNITED STATES PATEN'l OFFICE This invention relates to'an improved wrench and seeks, among other objects, to provide a device of this character which may be converted instantly from a T-handle' type'to a speed or crank type wrench.

Another object of the invention is-to provide a wren h having a handle which may be shifted for nverting the wrench from the T-type to the speed type, which handle will remain in a desired set position after setting.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wrench having a shank adapted to receive bits and tools of various kinds.

And'a still furtherobjeet of the invention is 1 l5 rto provide a device of this character which will Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device as it-would appear set as a speed wrench, and showing, in dotted lines, the handle set for use as a T-type wrench.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line 2--2 of Figure 1, looking'in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detail plan view showing a slightly modified construction.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, wherein. like numerals of-referenee indicate like parts, my improved wrench includes a shank i which is formed at its lower end with a square portion 2.1The square portion is formed with 'an opening 3 in which is carried a ball latch l. The latch 4 is normallyurged shank l is bent at substantially right angles at its upper end port-ion,'as shown at 6, and is again bent straig t", as shown at I, and is flattened 45 to provide a handle mounting block 8. The block ing at each end in shoulders l0 and .l I;

in the end wall 9 are sockets l2.

Swinging'ly connected with the handle mounting block 8 is' a yoke i3 which straddles-the block and is provided with an upwardly projecting cylindrical mounting shank l4 having an axial bore II therein. Carried in the axial bore is a plunger 16 which is-adapted to selectivelyengage the 65 sockets l2 andis normally urged into said sockets outwardly in the opening by a spring 5. The

l is formed with an arcuate end wall 9 terminat- Formed by means of a coil spring I'I. Connecting the block 8 with the yoke I3 is a bearing screw l8 which is hollow axially and is provided with spanner slots l9 to receive a'suitable spanner wrench when 'dismounting the yoke from the block. I

Rotatably mounted on the cylindrical mounting shank I4 is a. handle comprising an inner bearing sleeve 20 which extends throughout substantially three-fourths the length of the handle and is connected to a relatively thick base 2| which also provides an end connection for the outer manually engageable handle portion 2!.

Connecting the sleeve 20 with the cylindrical shank I8 is a washer 23 which is clamped in position by means of a screw 24. The sleeve 20, together with the entire handle structure, is free to rotate about the cylindrical shank l4. Closing the outer end of the handle is a cap 25. As

best seen in Figure 1 of the drawing, the base 2| is relatively thick and is reduced in diameter and is provided with an end. wall or shoulder 26 which abuts the end face of the yoke l3 and cooperates with the washer 23 and screw 24 for limiting longitudinal shifting movement of the handle on the cylindrical shank.

' The curved wall '9 of the b10ck.8 is disposed,

between the. arms of the yoke with a portlcn thereof in constant sliding engagement with Figure 1, the shoulder ill will abut the outerend of the bight portion 21 and the outer face of the block 8 will lie flush with the corresponding outer edges of .the arms of the yoke so that a smooth surface will be provided. The plunger It will retain the'handle in its upward position while the device is being used as a speed wrench.

When it is desired to use the deviceas a T-type wrench, it is only necessary to swing the handle downwardly so that the plunger IE will ride out of the uppermost socket l2 and into thelowermost of said sockets. When the handle is in its lower-' mostpositlon, the shoulder ll will abut the opposite end of the bight portion 21 of the yoke and will limit further downward swinging movement. As best seen in dotted lines in Figure 1, the handle, in downward position, is disposed in substantially parallel relation to the portion 8 of the shank I and the handle is of such a length that the plane of the shank i will intersect the handle 22 at substantially right angles thereto 'medially of the length of said handle. It,will-'be wrench, will be effectually balanced and thus very easy to operate.

Attention isparticularly directed'to the fact that the device may be used as a T-type wrench to start, the work, as for example a bolt, and, after the bolt has been well started in its opening, the handle may be quickly snapped to the speed position and the wrench rotated as a speed wrench at a high'rate of speed. It should be further understood that the handle, when in upward position, or speed wrench position, will be disposed angularly with respect to the shank I so that it may be comfortably held in the hand during operation thereof.

Referring now to the modification of the in vention, as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing, the* numeral 30 indicates a straight shank which is adapted, at its lower end, to receive a bit in the usual manner. The shank carries a ratchet wheel 3| at its upper end and said ratchet wheel is straddled by a yoke 32,, which includes arms 33. The lateral portion 34 is formed integral with the yoke and is bent to form a vertical portion, as shown at 35, and terminates in a mounting block 36 which is identical in construction with the mounting block 8. A handle 31 cooperates with the mounting block 36, as in the preferred embodiment of the invention. Carried between the arms 33 of the yoke and engageable with the ratchet wheel 3| is a pawl 3Q. A suitable pawl is. carried at the opposite side of the yoke to engage the ratchet wheel diametrically of the pawl 38 and both of said pawls are retractable for permitting reverse rotation of the ratchet wheel and shank with respect to the yoke. Both of the pawls may be engaged with the ratchet wheel ation of the invention simultaneously and when this is done, the device will operate entirely as in the preferred embodiment of the invention. However, when the wrench is to be used in close quarters, and it is possible to turn the handle but a fraction of its 5 rotative travel, one or the other of the pawls may be disengaged for permitting ratchet and pawl action of the shank with respect to the handle. As stated, the objects of the invention and the operation just described are substantially identical with the preferred form.

It is thought that the construction and operwill be understood from the foregoing. 1

Having thus described the invention, what I- claim is:

In a wrench, a shank having a flattened rear end portion providing a mounting block, a yoke straddling the mounting block and having a rearwardly extending mounting shank circular in cross section, apin extending through the yoke and the-mounting block to pivotally connect the yoke-with'the mounting blookja hollow cylindr cal handle open at its rear end and having a solid forward portion and an inner tubular bearing sleeve extending rearwardly' therefrom and fitting snugly about the mounting shank to rotatably mount the handle thereon, the forward end of said handle defining a flat annular shoulder abutting said yoke, a screw threaded into the rear end of said mounting shank, a washer fitting about said screw and engaging the rear ends of the mounting shank and the sleeve .to hold the sleeve upon the mounting shank, and a detachable capior closing the rear end of said handle.

JOHN E. TORBERT, JR. 

